Psychosocial Work Factors and Academic Performance among Working Professionals: A Public Health Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26911/thejhpb.2026.11.03.10Abstract
Background: Long working hours and high job demands are recognized psychosocial risk factors in occupational health. Professionals who pursue graduate education while maintaining full time employment may experience dual role strain, which can affect cognitive functioning and academic performance. This study examined the association between psychosocial work factors and academic performance among occupational health professionals enrolled in graduate education.
Subjects and Method: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among 95 occupational health professionals enrolled in the Master of Applied Occupational Health and Safety program. Variables included weekly working hours, weekly study time, perceived workplace support, family support, resilience, and grade point average (GPA). Data were analyzed using a multiple linear regression.
Results: Participants reported high levels of work exposure, with some experiencing extreme workloads. Workplace support was significantly associated with lower GPA (b= −0.08, 95% CI −0.16 to −0.01, p = 0.028), whereas weekly study time showed a positive association with GPA (b= 0.01, 95% CI 0.01–0.01, p = 0.050). Resilience (b= −0.01, 95% CI −0.01 to 0.01, p = 0.449), weekly working hours (b= −0.01, 95% CI −0.01 to 0.01, p = 0.523), and family support (b= −0.01, 95% CI −0.03 to 0.02, p= 0.736) were not significantly associated with GPA.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that workplace support without meaningful workload adjustment may function as a latent psychosocial risk factor rather than a protective mechanism. Academic performance among working professionals appears to depend more on structural time availability than on perceived support alone. From a public health perspective, alignment between institutional encouragement and actual workload management is essential to safeguard cognitive functioning and academic success.
Keywords:
psychosocial work factors, occupational health professionals, long working hours, cognitive performance, academic achievement
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References
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